Disclaimer: I don't own the WoT series, or most of the characters in this story. (well, you know that don't ya?) However, the characters of Jailene Allertron and Lysander Marino are mine, all mine, and if you try to steal them I'll knobble ya! Believe it or not, even the plot is mine… OK, enough from me, read on and enjoy.

The Weavings of the Wheel.

The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend . Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten When the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what is and what will be may yet fall under the Shadow...

Moiraine balanced upright a moment on the wagon tail, then embraced the True Source and leaped at Lanfear. The Forsaken had an instant's warning, enough to turn before Moiraine struck her, clawing the bracelet away. Face to face, the toppled through the door frame ter'angreal. White light swallowed everything.

In the darkness a figure stirred.

"Elaida is Amyrlin, Moiraine. I do not know what happened to Siuan."

Shock swelled in Moiraine's chest. Shock... And sadness. It was an effort to keep her face smooth. "How do you know?" She asked quietly, she was surprised at how calm she sounded. "Did you learn something dreamwalking? Or has your talent as a Dreamer finally manifested itself?"

Egwene took a few moments to answer. She looked troubled.

"I saw an arrest warrant for you, Moiraine, signed by Elaida as Amyrlin. And it was no ordinary dream."

Siuan... Stilled... Executed? It did not seem possible, and yet... Elaida as Amyrlin.

The plan.... 21 years.... Had that gone to waste?

"The wheel weaves as the Wheel wills."

"... I think Siuan was your friends once, Moiraine. Can't you shed a tear for her?"

Siuan.... My friend.

"I have no time for tears."

No time for tears... For friends... For hope?

"There is always time for hope, Moiraine Sedai"

My hope lies in you.... Rand al'Thor... Trust me.

"Trust me, Moiraine... As I once trusted you."

Moiraine Damodred's dark eyes flew open. Someone had  spoken that time. She was sure of it. Yet, she had been equally sure that the had spoken to her before... The first time, she had called out in response; and the second time; the third... And so many times after she had trouble discerning one from the other.

The voice never answered. Sometimes she thought she heard a faint chuckle, like the whisper of the wind in a midnight forest. Mostly however, only silence greeted her.

Someone was playing games with her mind. Someone was trying to break her... trying to make her think she was going mad; mad enough to--- what? Swear oaths of fealty, tell all she knew concerning Rand--- somehow that didn't seem enough. This force that was holding her was powerful, she could sense that.

Well, tonight-- was it night? Who could tell, in this place there was neither night or day, they  melded into one to the point that Moiraine had no concept of how long she had been there. A week? A month? Longer?-- tonight she would not give her captor the pleasure of an answer. Two could play at this game.

Moiraine's eyes travelled slowly around the room. It was not precisely a room, there were no doors or windows, and the floor was a smooth white material she couldn't put a name to. No Lamps burned, and there was an absence of a  fire, yet the whole place was lit with a dim not-quite-light, and inexplicable shadows danced over the walls, so you could not quite make out just where they were.  Moiraine shivered, it wasn't cold- there were no temperatures here- it was just that the place disturbed her, and Moiraine did not like things that disturbed her. Few things did- some people believed her imperturbable- but this cavernous anti-room gave her an itch between her should blades. She could feel someone watching her.

Moiraine shifted, pulling her legs beneath her. Her long dark hair clung damply to her skull, and perspiration slicked her skin. Aes Sedai did not sweat- and Moiraine had Aes Sedai engraved on her soul- but  there was something about this place.

That laughter sounded again. But deeper and richer this time, a man's laugh, just like the voice. There was no mistaking that for her imagination--- Unless she really was going mad. Pushing that though firmly aside, she climbed to her feat, not as graceful as she would have liked, but better than facing her foe on her knees.

Who are you? She wondered What are you?

"I am a friend, Moiraine Damodred. A friend who requires your help"

Despite herself, Moiraine jumped. And berated herself instantly for it. Whoever this person was, of course that could read her mind---  that much had been obvious from the start,  the flashbacks accounted for that..

"A friend? My help? And you expect me to give it after you have help me captive, and tried to toy with my mind?" Moiraine surprised herself at how strong her voice was. Her knees were trying to shake. She locked them firmly.

"It was necessary" The voice replied blandly. It had a loud, resonant quality to it, and it seemed to come from all directions at once. "Necessary to save your life"

Moiraine frowned into the darkness. Her life? What had happened to her after she and Lanfear fell through to the Land of the 'Finn. She had tried to recall, but after the bright light there was nothing.

"Do not concern yourself with the Shadowsouled Moiraine Sedai; the task I have for you will lead you down a different path from her. Do not be afraid"

Moiraine bristled. She was not afraid of the Forsaken... What had he called them? The Shadowsouled? Was he Aiel? "I do not like conferring with voices." She said coolly. "Show yourself."

A soft laugh accompanied the reply. "Of course, they do  put a lot of stock by physical appearance" he seemed to be speaking to himself. "Very well Aes Sedai, if it will make you feel more comfortable."

The room went deadly silent, Moiraine hugged her cloak tight to her body. It was suddenly very cold.

A movement in the corner drew her eyes. The flickering shadows on the wall seemed to be drawing in on each other, running sinuously into a central point, which constantly shifted and changed. It made for queasy watching, she blinked, and then there weren't any  shadows any more. Just a broad shouldered young man  in a dark green cloak. Shock swelled in Moiraine, and was quickly suppressed. Large dark eyes regarded her quite  openly, but she thought they could have  hid 1000 secrets in their depths, and probably did. His face was framed by dark hair, with rakes of gold through it, which feel in slight waves till it almost brushed his shoulders. An innocent face and youthful at first glance. But a closer look gave off an impression of deep knowing that one so young could not have. It was not quite the ageless features of the Aes Sedai, but it came close.

She supressed the sudden urge to sit down, and gestured for him to come closer. He merely grinned at her; showing off straight white teeth, and sat down in a chair. Moiraine blinked, the chair certainly had not been there before, but it was not the chair that bothered her. That quirky grin tugged at her memory, and so did those bottomless eyes. And they were pretty eyes- not that she was looking at his eyes like he was a prospective suitor, she did not need a man anyway, she had managed perfectly well without one for a good number of years, and she wasn't about to start now; especially not with  a mysterious man who appeared out of thin air, who, by all accounts might not even be human.

He gestured for her to sit, and she did not have to look to know she had a chair too. A most peculiar place, and a most peculiar host. She took a seat, and the distance between them inexplicably closed. She thought she did a pretty good job of keeping the startlement off of her face; after all she'd had enough practise; but his small smile told her she didn't do so well.

To hide her irritation, she took a sip from the goblet that had just appeared in her hands and gave him a searching look. She did not quite understand why the young man annoyed her so much, well... Apart from the fact he's held her prisoner for the Light knew how long, but that small smile made her want to thump him .Light!  Moiraine did not thump people!

"You need my help? I make no bargains with strangers. First you will tell name your name" Moiraine said, for all the world like she was the one pulling the strings.

He gave her an amused look.

"Very well, a simple request, and I concur. You may call me-"

"Lysander"

The young man looked about as shocked as she felt, Moiraine noted that with a small amount of satisfaction. But it was a small amount, compared to her own shock.

Where had that come from?

Why did she feel as if she knew this man?

How could she know the name of a person she had never met?

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